Erik ten Hag defended his decision to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo during Manchester United's 0-0 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday, insisting he wants to keep the striker fresh for a packed fixture schedule.

Ronaldo, starting a Premier League for the first time since August 13, managed just a single shot before he was hauled off in the 72nd minute for Marcus Rashford.

The Portuguese superstar looked visibly annoyed as he walked off the pitch, and continued to shake his head in the dugout as United struggled to break down Eddie Howe's side.

United face Premier League matches against Tottenham and Chelsea over the next week, and Ten Hag said Ronaldo was brought off with a view to preserving him for those games.

"We have to recover as we have four games in 10 days and especially for the strikers, I want to keep them fresh," Ten Hag said.

"I want to keep them all fresh, we have to rotate because of some problems we have.

"[Anthony] Martial is not available in this moment, then Rashy [Rashford] was not well, so he did not have energy for the whole game.

"We had to plan to cover for the four games because we want to win or at least get a result in all four games."

The result was United's 76th Premier League goalless draw, 31 of which have come since Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 (41 per cent) – the most of any side in the competition since the start of the 2013-14 season.

Despite the disappointing result, Ten Hag was pleased with his side's display and believes they deserved to claim all three points.

"I'm disappointed with the result, but I'm happy with the performance," the Dutchman added.

"A lot of elements of the team, the way of playing, we transferred on the pitch. We have seen that.

"The pressing the whole game was good. The second half possession was better. We made an improvement after half-time.

"Then you saw we dominate that game in the second half by far and also in the end the physical, again the mentality, how we kept going.

"You saw the problems they had and that is one of the best physical teams in the league. They all had cramp and we didn't because we let them run because we were good on the ball and our pressing was good."

The result left the Red Devils fifth in the Premier League, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and still one ahead of Newcastle.

Newcastle United might be one of the few clubs capable of signing Cristiano Ronaldo, but Eddie Howe has suggested the Magpies' interest lies elsewhere.

Ronaldo wanted to leave Manchester United in the last transfer window, but the 37-year-old ultimately stayed at Old Trafford.

He has only had a bit-part role under Erik ten Hag, though came on from the bench to score United's winner against Everton last week, bringing up his 700th club goal in the process.

There remains question marks over his future, but ahead of United's meeting with Newcastle on Sunday, Howe – while revealing his huge appreciation of Ronaldo – indicated his side are looking towards signings more suited to a long-term approach.

When asked in a press conference if Newcastle, backed by the wealth of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) would be interested in signing Ronaldo, Howe told reporters: "We're trying to provide long-term growth, we've got a longer-term vision.

"At the moment, we have quite an ageing squad, so we need to invest more in young players. That's probably a big part of our progression, we need to get the average age down.

"So, it might not be a signing that we would necessarily look to make, but that's not under-estimating the quality of the player.

"He's an outstanding player. You look at his goal record last year, that was incredible. So, for me, the transfer [to United] has worked, it's been a success.

"He got massive goals last year and some really late, important goals in the Champions League. The quality of the player is unquestionable.

"We are going to have to be very, very good against him if he plays. We're going to have to brief our players on the areas from where he wants to score That's something we have to be aware of."

Newcastle spent big on Sven Botman from Lille and Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad – aged 22 and 23 respectively – to bolster their squad for this season.

Howe's side had lost only one of their opening nine league games this season ahead of Sunday's trip to Old Trafford.

Diego Simeone has suggested Atletico Madrid were never interested in offering Cristiano Ronaldo a route out of Manchester United due to his association with Real Madrid.

Atletico were one of a number of European clubs, along with the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Napoli, to have been linked with the United forward in the transfer window.

Simeone remained quiet on the speculation at the time, though supporters made their thoughts clear by unfurling a "CR7 NOT WELCOME" banner during pre-season.

However, with Ronaldo remaining at Old Trafford until at least January, Simeone says the 37-year-old making a move to Atleti was never feasible due to the unrest it would have caused among the fanbase.

"What these little birds [journalists] have said is far from what happened," Simeone told Tigo Sports reporter Martin Liberma.

"People sometimes speak to tell you what they want to tell, not what actually happens. Ronaldo is an absolute benchmark for Real Madrid.

"You wouldn't see [Martin] Palermo or [Juan Roman] Riquelme play for River Plate or [Ariel] Ortega playing for Boca Juniors. There are certain situations that are very clear."

Simeone added: "I remember in pre-season when a fan behind me, without knowing what was happening, yelled 'Cholo, careful, it's not the Champions League at all costs'.

"I liked that because it's a healthy reflection of what I felt at that time. We signed Luis Suarez [from Barcelona] before, but that is different to the Ronaldo case."

Ronaldo scored 450 goals across nine seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu, winning two LaLiga titles and the Champions League four times.

He has since spent three years with Juventus and is now in his second campaign back at United, but he was reportedly eager to move on in the close season.

While distancing Atleti from a move, Simeone respects what the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has achieved throughout a remarkable career.

"I have no doubt Ronaldo will score goals again as he's done it all his life," he added. "It's impossible for him to walk away if he's mentally as strong as he's always been."

Manchester United's Antony is "really grateful" to Cristiano Ronaldo for taking him under his wing since his arrival at Old Trafford.

With his goal in last Sunday's 2-1 win at Everton, Antony became the first player to score in his first three Premier League appearances for United.

Ronaldo also scored his 700th career club goal in that contest at Goodison Park, as Erik ten Hag's side made it seven victories in their past nine fixtures in all competitions.

Antony has impressed since signing from Ajax in September and says he is very thankful for the help Ronaldo has given him and his fellow young players.

"Since I arrived here, Cristiano Ronaldo has really helped me feel at ease," Antony told United's official website. "He speaks to me a lot, on matchdays as well.

"He always tells me to be calm and confident. He's achieved so much in football and I learn from him every day.

"I'm really grateful to have such an experienced person teaching us young players every day."

Antony, who joined from Ajax in the close season for a deal potentially rising to €98.6million (£85m), has three goals in six appearances overall for United.

When asked what he found most impressive about Ronaldo, Antony replied: "His mentality, it's so strong. He's very intelligent.

"This mentality of his, looking to the next day, everything still to play for, it's what I'm trying to take on board and keep for the rest of my life."

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag hailed Cristiano Ronaldo's "phenomenal" record of scoring 700 club goals and joked "not many players even achieve 700 games".

Ronaldo hit the latest milestone in his remarkable career with the winning strike in last Sunday's 2-1 win at Everton after being introduced from the substitutes' bench.

The Portugal forward has endured a frustrating time of things under Ten Hag, having so far started just one of United's eight Premier League matches under the Dutchman.

But ahead of facing Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday – a match Ronaldo looks set to start – Ten Hag lauded the superstar forward's goalscoring longevity.

"It's phenomenal. Football is [about the] team and we express this in a way," Ten Hag told United's official website. 

"I think Cristiano, he knows we can't do it without the team but I must say it's a huge individual performance. If you achieve this, it's incredible. 

"Seven hundred club goals. Not many players even achieve 700 games, and he scored 700 goals. I'm really happy for him. I really want to tell you that and I congratulate him."

Of those 700 goals scored by Ronaldo, five came for Sporting CP, 118 in his first spell at United, 450 with Real Madrid, 101 at Juventus and 26 in his second stint at Old Trafford.

The 37-year-old will be looking to add to that tally against Cypriot side Omonia as United aim to avoid an unwanted first.

They have lost their past two home European matches, against Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad – never before have they lost three in a row, with this their 198th game.

United recovered to beat Omonia 3-2 last week and are second in Group E at the midway stage, three points ahead of Sheriff and three behind leaders Real Sociedad.

"It's another important game for us," Ten Hag said. "We want to be first in the group. We are three points behind Sociedad and so we have to win. 

"That is the first [target], and we have to score goals, that is the second [target]. So we have to prepare for the game properly because we are playing against a tough opponent. 

"They will be ambitious and they will be fighting so they are well organised. It's not easy to score goals. We had that experience last week, so we have to be good."

Mohamed Salah made a piece of Champions League history with his quickfire hat-trick in Liverpool's 7-1 thrashing of Rangers on Wednesday, scoring the fastest ever treble in the competition.

Just six minutes and 12 seconds separated Salah's first and third goals in Liverpool's comeback win, the shortest timeframe ever recorded in the Champions League.

Salah's hat-trick saw him eclipse the efforts of former Bayern Munich hero Robert Lewandowski, who has scored two of the five fastest trebles in Champions League history.

Lewandowski required 11 minutes and seven seconds to hit a treble against Red Star Belgrade in November 2019, an achievement he bettered against Salzburg in March this year, when he scored three times in 10 minutes and 22 seconds.

Other than Salah, only Bafetimbi Gomis and Mike Newell have scored a hat-trick in quicker time than Lewandowski, while Cristiano Ronaldo sits just outside the top five after managing an 11-minute treble against Malmo for Real Madrid in 2015.

Salah scored his hat-trick over two minutes faster than previous record holder Gomis, who took eight minutes and 45 seconds to do so against Dinamo Zagreb in 2011.

Salah brought up his treble with a trademark strike, latching onto Diogo Jota's pass before cutting in from the right wing and bending a fine finish into the top-left corner.

Jota assisted all three of Salah's goals as Liverpool returned to form in emphatic fashion, which represents the first time a player has assisted a team-mate's Champions League treble since March 2012, when Franck Ribery teed up Mario Gomez's strikes for Bayern against Basel

Meanwhile, Salah has now scored 38 Champions League goals for Liverpool, the most managed by any player for an English club in the competition.

The Egypt talisman had previously trailed former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, who each hit 36 goals for their respective clubs in the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo will not accept his Football Association (FA) charge for throwing an Everton supporter's phone, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said.

A video emerged on social media of United forward Ronaldo appearing to smash a fan's phone as he left the field after Everton's 1-0 Premier League win in April.

The Portugal captain was questioned by Merseyside Police in relation to an alleged assault and criminal damage and received a caution in August.

The FA last month charged the 37-year-old for breaching Rule E3, which relates to "improper and/or violent conduct", but the case now looks set to proceed to a hearing.

Asked if Ronaldo accepts the charge, Ten Hag told reporters on Wednesday: "We have talked about that. He will not accept it."

Ronaldo issued an apology on Instagram at the time, stating: "It's never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing.

"Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.

"I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair-play and sportsmanship."

Ronaldo has endured a disappointing time of things on the field for United this season, having started just one of their opening eight Premier League matches.

However, he scored his second goal of the campaign in all competitions in Sunday's 2-1 win at Everton after being introduced from the substitutes' bench in the first half.

And Ten Hag is pleased with the way the superstar forward has gone about returning to top fitness after missing almost the entirety of United's pre-season for personal reasons.

"I want to support him as good as possible," Ten Hag said at a pre-match news conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League group-stage match with Omonia Nicosia. 

"We have certain demands from players, what we expect in certain positions. I want to get the best out of him and he's in better shape now and can contribute more."

Asked if a lack of fitness is the reason Ronaldo has not started more occasionally this season, Ten Hag said: "At the start that was the case. 

"It's proven once again that no one can miss a pre-season."

Ronaldo was brought on against Everton after Anthony Martial sustained another injury, with the forward yet to return to training as of Thursday.

"I've had several talks with him and I'm really disappointed for him," Ten Hag said. "We'll see how he develops ahead of Sunday [against Newcastle United]."

Ten Hag also confirmed Harry Maguire is still absent, while Donny van De Beek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are "longer-term" absentees.

United beat Omonia 3-2 in Cyprus last week and are second in Group E, three points ahead of Sheriff and three behind leaders Real Sociedad.

Ten Hag's side face a gruelling run of fixtures on the domestic and European front, but the Dutchman says it is important his side seal top spot in their group.

"I told the players weeks ago, before the break, it was important to win the group," he said. "We want to win all the games. It's clear, we want to avoid [finishing second].

"I think all the clubs that play in Europe have the same problem. We have a squad to cover that. Injuries and suspensions will happen, but you have to deal with it as a squad."

New Zealand winger Ronaldo Mulitalo is hoping to emulate his namesake Cristiano Ronaldo – who he is named after – when the 2021 Rugby League World Cup gets under way this month.

The Cronulla Sharks winger is making his tournament bow with Michael Maguire's Kiwis, as the world number one-ranked nation look to dethrone holders Australia and hosts England among others over the next few weeks.

While New Zealand will raise the curtain on their campaign in Group C against Lebanon at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium, it is up the road at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, where the final will take place.

Mulitalo is aiming to guide his side to the November 19 showpiece, revealing his name is indeed inspired by the Portuguese talisman who calls it home, though he admits it is a moniker he struggles to relate to.

"My mum loves him," he stated. "I don't like telling people around here because they are looking at my like 'you are a fake Ronaldo' ... the bush version. So I don't really tell everyone my name around here.

"But it would be a bit of a surreal moment [to play at his ground]. It would be nice. Before we even think about getting to Old Trafford we have a bit of work to do."

Following their opener against Lebanon, New Zealand will face tournament debutants Jamaica at Hull's MKM Stadium before wrapping up their group campaign against Ireland at Leeds' Headingley Stadium.

Any path to the final is likely to see them have to go through Australia to get there, with the Kangaroos on their side of the knockout draw, while England, Tonga and Samoa make up the major contenders on the other pathway.

Erik ten Hag is confident Cristiano Ronaldo will hit his stride after scoring his 700th club goal – and his first of the 2022-23 Premier League season – in Sunday's 2-1 win at Everton.

Ronaldo had endured a frustrating campaign prior to his outing at Goodison Park, a ground on which he had never previously scored a Premier League goal, but he proved decisive after entering the fray in the first half. 

Antony cancelled out Alex Iwobi's opener before Ronaldo replaced the injured Anthony Martial, and the 37-year-old quickly made his mark by firing a left-footed finish beyond Jordan Pickford.

That strike was Ronaldo's 700th in club football and his 144th across two spells at Old Trafford, and ensured United bounced back from last week's derby thrashing by Manchester City.

Speaking at a post-match news conference, Ten Hag congratulated Ronaldo on his landmark and backed him to hit a rich vein of form in the coming weeks.

"That is really impressive, when you score 700 goals," Ten Hag said. "It's a huge performance, I'm really happy for him. 

"I congratulate him on that performance and I'm also happy it's his first goal this season in the Premier League. He had to wait for it and I'm sure there will be more goals.

"I think every player needs it, even when you are the best in the world, you need it, you need the goals.

"I worked with many goalscorers, especially them, they need goals in every season to have that feeling, to have the confirmation of their intuition. 

"Once they have some goals, they come in the flow and games go easier. That will happen with him as well."

United had lost eight of their previous 10 away league games ahead of their trip to Merseyside – including last Sunday's dismal loss at the Etihad Stadium, and Ten Hag was pleased with the improvements on display.

"First of all, criticism is normal when you have a defeat, especially in a big game, in a derby, so we have to deal with that and you learn lessons," Ten Hag added.

"In this moment, we collect the points, it's not looking at the table, we have to win every game – it's our aim. 

"We have to improve every game, we have to improve the process, we have to prepare every game 100 per cent and we demand from the players that in every game they give their best.

"You see in this game, the spirit is really good in the squad – it's not only the 11 players. 

"Again, a sub coming on and scoring a goal, you see Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay and Raphael Varane coming in, so we use more than 11 players and I am happy with that process."

United goalkeeper David De Gea also praised Ronaldo following the win, hailing him for maintaining a professional attitude despite starting just one league game under Ten Hag.

"He's never been in this situation before, but the way he works and trains, it's just unbelievable," De Gea told BT Sport. "It's not easy times for him, but he showed he's a great player."

With De Gea's United contract expiring at the end of the season – although the club has an option for an extra year – the Spaniard also revealed he would like to commit his future to the club.

"I'm just very focused on the games, helping the team as much as I can," he added. "Of course, I would like to be here for more years, so let's see what happens in the future. I'm really, really happy here."

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 700th goal in club football as Manchester United came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Ronaldo reached the latest landmark of his spectacular career after coming on as a first-half substitute for the injured Anthony Martial, ensuring United returned to winning ways in the Premier League after the dismal derby defeat to Manchester City.

Elsewhere, Arsenal's young guns continued their stunning start to the season as Bukayo Saka's double and Gabriel Martinelli's early strike secured a thrilling 3-2 win over Liverpool at Emirates Stadium.

Crystal Palace came from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 at Selhurst Park, while West Ham roared back to overcome Fulham 3-1.

Here, Stats Perform picks out the best data from another day of mouth-watering Premier League action.

Everton 1-2 Manchester United: Ronaldo hits yet another landmark

Ronaldo did not start on United's visit to Merseyside, but a first-half injury to Martial paved the way for him to create yet another slice of history.

The 37-year-old, who has also scored a record 117 international goals, has now taken his overall tally for United to 144 across two spells at Old Trafford, adding to a combined tally of 556 from his time at Sporting CP, Real Madrid and Juventus.

United had started sluggishly at Goodison Park and fell behind early on to Alex Iwobi's superb strike from 25 yards. The Nigerian has either scored or assisted in three consecutive Premier League appearances for only the second time in his career (also April 2016).

The Red Devils levelled soon after when Antony latched on to Martial's pass and beat Jordan Pickford, the Brazilian becoming the first United player to score in each of his first three appearances in the Premier League for the club.

Ronaldo then ensured United became the first team in Premier League history to have won 100 games after conceding the first goal.

Arsenal 3-2 Liverpool: Young guns pile on misery for Reds

This stirring victory meant Arsenal have won at least eight of their first nine league matches in a top-flight campaign for only the fourth time, after 2007-08, 2004-05 and 1947-48.

This latest triumph helped them sit atop the table nine or more games into a season for the first time since December 2016 (15th game).

Their three goals came from Saka (2) and Martinelli, who are both 21 years old. The Gunners have now scored 54 goals courtesy of players aged 21 and under in the Premier League under manager Mikel Arteta – 22 more than any other side since the Spaniard's first game in charge.

Liverpool are yet to win away from home in the Premier League this season (D2 L2); this is the first time since 2010-11 under Roy Hodgson that they have failed to win any of their opening four away games in a Premier League campaign.

With 10 points from eight games so far, it is their worst return at this stage of a Premier League campaign since 2012-13 (nine points), when they ultimately finished seventh.

Crystal Palace 2-1 Leeds United: Eagles bounce back as Yorkshiremen continue to struggle on the road

Eberechi Eze's fine strike helped Palace earn their first Premier League win since August (3-1 v Aston Villa), another game in which they conceded first. In this one, Pascal Struijk put Leeds ahead, but Odsonne Edouard soon got the Eagles back on level terms.

Palace have now won as many Premier League home games when conceding first this season as they did across the 2019-20 and 2021-22 campaigns (two). 

Leeds, meanwhile, are winless away from home in the Premier League this season (D1 L3), losing each of the last three in a row.

It is the second time in 2022 that the Whites have lost three consecutive away games, with the previous occasion coming in March.

West Ham 3-1 Fulham: In-form Scamacca strikes again for the Hammers

West Ham recovered from conceding Andreas Pereira's early strike to make it back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since January, having beaten Wolves last time out.

Jarrod Bowen pulled the Hammers level from the penalty spot, before Gianluca Scamacca put them ahead with a cool lofted finish over Bernd Leno.

The Italian became the ninth player to score in both of his first two home starts in the Premier League for West Ham, and the first since their move to the London Stadium, with Diafra Sakho the previous player to do so at Upton Park in October 2014.

Michail Antonio added a late third to move level with Carlton Cole as the top scorer for West Ham in London derbies in the Premier League (14).

Bruno Fernandes credited Cristiano Ronaldo's hunger after his fellow Portugal international scored his 700th club goal in Manchester United's 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday.

Ronaldo was introduced as a first-half substitute for Anthony Martial, who suffered a back injury, and brought up the landmark by firing under Jordan Pickford after racing onto Casemiro's pass.

Alex Iwobi's long-range strike had initially handed Everton an early lead, but Antony became the first player to score in his first three Premier League games for United to level the scores.

Ronaldo's 700th goal in club football arrived 20 years and two days after his first (for Sporting CP against Moreirense on October 7 2002), and saw him get off the mark for the Premier League season.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had endured a frustrating campaign prior to his outing at Goodison Park, only starting one league match under Erik ten Hag, and Fernandes was delighted to see him find the net.

"It is tough still counting goals for Cristiano because every week it seems like a new record," Fernandes told BT Sport.

"We're really happy because he has been working hard to get this goal, we saw it last Thursday, it was tough for him. Today he got the goal and the win.

"That's most important for Cristiano, I think, that the team wins, and obviously as a striker he wants to score goals and we are really happy for that."

United's comeback makes them the first team to win 100 Premier League games after conceding first, and Ten Hag was impressed by the Red Devils' response to Iwobi's fifth-minute strike.

"We were quickly 1-0 down but the reaction of the team was good," Ten Hag told BT Sport. "One of our aims is to deal better with setbacks and they stayed composed. It was quite impressive from our side.

"In the first half we were pressing well. Everton did not come out and it was difficult for them to get a lot of crosses in, we didn't allow them and I am happy with that.

"Casemiro will anticipate quickly, and we saw during the game how important he is, winning a lot of balls. He also played the ball for the goal from Cristiano Ronaldo. He grew into the game.

"Once again, we were happy with all the subs, Ronaldo coming on and getting the winning goal, and Rapha [Varane] showed his importance with his organisation and heading capacity."

United's victory moved them into fifth in the Premier League table, while their total of 38 wins against Everton in the competition is now their joint-most against any opponent (also Tottenham).

Cristiano Ronaldo's 700th goal in club football helped Manchester United come from behind to beat Everton 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ronaldo, introduced as a first-half substitute following an injury to Anthony Martial, found the net with a low, left-footed strike at the end of a back-and-forth opening period at Goodison Park.

Alex Iwobi had earlier taken advantage of Casemiro's error to put Everton ahead with a long-range strike, with Antony levelling to maintain his fine start to life in England. 

Erik ten Hag's men produced a controlled display following Ronaldo's intervention, keeping Everton at arm's length to go fifth in the Premier League table, one point adrift of the top four.

Casemiro's first Premier League start turned sour when he was caught in possession by Amadou Onana five minutes in, allowing Iwobi to curl a brilliant effort beyond David De Gea and into the top-right corner.

Everton's lead lasted just 10 minutes, however, as Antony darted onto Martial's well-timed pass to tuck a neat finish into the bottom-left corner.

An injury to Martial led to Ronaldo's introduction shortly before Casemiro squandered a golden opportunity, heading wide when racing onto Bruno Fernandes' in-swinging cross.

Casemiro did register an assist on the stroke of half-time, but the plaudits will go to Ronaldo after he coolly fired between Jordan Pickford's legs to bring up his landmark.

Marcus Rashford was denied a late third goal following a VAR review when he appeared to handle the ball before rounding Pickford, before De Gea kept Joe Garner's effort out with a stunning fingertip save to secure the win.

What does it mean? United bounce back from derby blues

A run of four consecutive Premier League wins appeared to have given lift-off to the Ten Hag era at United ahead of last week's trip to Manchester City. However, the Red Devils were a distant second-best in an emphatic 6-3 defeat at the Etihad Stadium, and they looked to be experiencing a derby hangover when Iwobi struck.

However, United showed the necessary composure to respond to that setback, earning just their third win in their last 11 away Premier League games and ending the Toffees' six-match unbeaten run.

Another landmark for indomitable Ronaldo

Ronaldo's struggles this season have been well-documented; following his failure to secure a move away from Old Trafford, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner entered Sunday's match having scored one goal in all competitions this campaign – a Europa League penalty against Sheriff.

However, he led the line effectively following his early introduction on Merseyside, scoring the 700th goal of his club career 20 years and two days after the first, in what was his 945th club appearance.

Ronaldo will now hope to kick on after opening his Premier League account for the season – on a ground at which he had never previously scored in the competition (in seven appearances).

Antony makes United history

Although Ronaldo stole the headlines with his strike, Brazilian winger Antony continued his strong start to life in the Premier League on Sunday, cutting inside to bend home a crucial leveller.

The former Ajax man's goal makes him the first player to score in each of his first three Premier League appearances for United in the competition's history.

What's next?

United host Cypriot outfit Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday, while Everton travel to Tottenham for their next Premier League match on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo reached another milestone as he scored his 700th goal in club football during Manchester United's Premier League clash with Everton on Sunday.

Ronaldo hit the latest landmark of his glittering career after coming on as a first-half substitute for the injured Anthony Martial, racing onto a ball from Casemiro before firing past Jordan Pickford to give United a 2-1 lead at Goodison Park.

The Portugal captain has struggled to find his best form this season and this was just the second goal of a campaign in which he has been starved of regular game time, having netted his 699th club strike from the penalty spot during a 2-0 Europa League victory over Sheriff on September 15.

He had failed to score in eight games before then, his longest run without a goal in all competitions at club level since a run of 10 matches between March and May 2006.

The 37-year-old, who has also scored a record 117 international goals, has now taken his overall tally for United to 144 across two spells at Old Trafford, adding to a combined tally of 556 from his time at Sporting CP, Real Madrid and Juventus.

Ronaldo's 700 goals, club by club

Ronaldo's most prolific spell came at Madrid, where he scored an incredible 450 goals in 438 appearances to become Los Blancos' all-time leading marksman.

His best individual season also came with Madrid, netting 61 times from an expected goals (xG) value of 47.9 in 54 games across all competitions in 2014-15. In that campaign, Ronaldo registered the best minutes-per-goal ratio (76.1) of any player from Europe's top five leagues to have scored at least 10 across all fronts.

Across his nine-year stint in the Spanish capital, Ronaldo hit the 60-goal mark twice (2011-12, 2014-15), with his lowest-scoring campaign coming in the 2009-10 season, his first at the club. He still managed 33 goals in 35 appearances.

Prior to becoming a legend at Madrid, Ronaldo of course made his mark at United. His best season in England was in 2007-08, when he scored 42 times across all competitions.

Playing predominantly as a winger for Alex Ferguson, and dovetailing with the likes of Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo left United in 2009 having found the net on 118 occasions for the club, having previously scored five times for Sporting.

His time at Juve did not yield the Champions League title he was bought to help the Bianconeri win, though they still won Serie A twice, and the Coppa Italia. Ronaldo plundered 101 goals in 134 matches during his three years in Italy, averaging one every 114 minutes.

Ronaldo made a flying start back in England last year, scoring twice on his second United debut against Newcastle United. Though he went on to score a further 22 times across all competitions, the Red Devils could only manage a sixth-placed finish.

Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United remains uncertain after he reportedly tried to leave in the offseason.

The Portugal great has struggled to break into United's starting XI in the Premier League this term.

And Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure in United's 3-2 win over Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday.

TOP STORY – MLS CLUB TO OFFER RONALDO A WAY OUT

David Beckham-owned MLS club Inter Miami are set to offer Cristiano Ronaldo a way out of Manchester United with a contract worth £30million per year, reports The Daily Star.

Ronaldo, who is a regular visitor to Florida, could make the move in January, with Phil Neville's Miami planning to replace Gonzalo Higuain, who announced his retirement last week.

One stumbling block, however, is that the deal is on the condition Ronaldo joins Inter on a free transfer, with United - who insisted on a fee when clubs enquired in the last transfer window - seemingly content to retain him for now.

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror claims Leeds United have agreed personal terms with PSV's Cody Gakpo, beating Manchester United in the pursuit for the 23-year-old Dutch forward. Leeds still need to thrash out a transfer fee with PSV for Gakpo to move in January.

– Paris Saint-Germain have joined the long list of clubs pursuing Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk reports Fichajes. Arsenal, Newcastle United and Real Madrid are also keen on him.

– PSG are also chasing a deal for Adrien Rabiot who is set to exit Juventus when his contract expires in mid-2023, according to Fichajes.

– El Nacional claims Real Madrid are interested in Benfica's 18-year-old centre-back Antonio Silva. Manchester United are also monitoring the Portuguese stopper.

– Manchester United's Diogo Dalot is being considered by Barcelona, who need to bolster their right-back options, reports Sport.

Cristiano Ronaldo must "stay patient" and take his opportunities when they arise if he is to reignite his career, according to former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney.

Portugal international Ronaldo has endured a difficult time of things in his second season back at Old Trafford, having started just one of United's seven Premier League games.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner led the scoring charts for United in the previous campaign with 24 goals, but his only goal in nine outings this term was a penalty against Sheriff.

That came in the Europa League, a competition Ronaldo – the Champions League's all-time record scorer – is now having to use to prove himself to manager Erik ten Hag.

Rooney, who played alongside Ronaldo between 2004 and 2009, says his former colleague will be finding life on the substitutes' bench tough but can still turn things around.

"The manager's obviously gone a different way in terms of how they're playing and been successful," said D.C. United head coach Rooney.

"Cristiano... him and [Lionel] Messi are two of the greatest players to ever play the game, but ultimately time catches up with us all. 

"He's obviously not the player he was when he was 22 or 23, for instance. It's a tough one for him.

"Knowing him, it'll be very difficult to sit on the bench. I'm sure if he stays patient, his chance will come and it's then him taking those chances and trying to force his way back in."

This is the first season since 2005-06, during his first spell at United, that Ronaldo has failed to score in his opening six league appearances.

The Sporting CP academy product has had 12 shots across 207 minutes without scoring in the top flight this season, generating an expected goals (xG) value of 0.8.

Only playmaker Christian Eriksen (1.2) has a higher xG among United players who have yet to score in the league this term.

Ronaldo is expected to be part of United's squad for Sunday's trip to Everton, against whom the Red Devils have won just one of their past seven league matches.